INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NTEA opened its annual meeting with the singing of O Canada this morning, and there were plenty of references to Canadian initiatives being tackled by the international association dedicated to the work truck industry.

“NTEA is continually advocating on your behalf on both sides of the border to limit the negative effects of government policy on your business, and support legislation that will benefit us all,” said Todd Davis, NTEA chairman.

Lobbying efforts to fight steel and aluminum tariffs were among them.

“Last March, NTEA quickly and publicly came out in opposition to the steel and aluminum tariffs that place additional burden on our industry. We made our concerns known at the Department of Commerce in the U.S., and submitted testimony in the House of Commons in Canada regarding the effects on companies on both sides of the border,” he said.

Davis gave the NTEA credit for securing Canadian emissions standards that are similar to the U.S., allowing for the delegated assembly process that recognizes the work of multi-stage truck manufacturers.

“Also in Ottawa, NTEA has undertaken a project looking at work truck fuel-efficiency strategies, and how public-private partnerships might be beneficial,” he said.

“Last May, the new rear visibility requirements of FMVSS 111 came into effect for U.S.-produced vehicles under 10,000 lb. GVW. Canadian regulators have put an equivalent standard in place set to take effect this May. NTEA was prepared to meet the needs of its members on both sides of the border and has revised the 111 conformity kit to address both U.S. and Canadian requirements.”

Canadian needs are reflected in several NTEA tools as well.

“Work Truck Certification will help make the printing and archiving of government-required information easier and more efficient,” Davis said of the tool that currently supports the majority of labeling requirements for vehicles upfit in the U.S. “Additional features, including requirements in Canada, are already under development. “

And the first module of the TE201 training course was recently released, offering a deeper understanding of vehicle certification — with information on the U.S., Canadian, and European Union processes.

Davis concluded his remarks by handing the chairman’s gavel to Wm. Craig Bonham of Missouri-based Safe Fleet.